SCMF Chamber Continuum August Sessions Conclude with Showcase and Workshop by Kirsten Docter
17 August 2025 – The Singapore Chamber Music Festival (SCMF) brought its Chamber Continuum August Sessions to a close with a vibrant afternoon of performance and learning, celebrating the spirit of chamber music in Singapore.
The day began with a mini-recital showcase, where six chamber groups who had taken part in three weekends of intensive coaching sessions performed for an audience at the Singapore Conference Hall. The Piano Trio opened with Brahms’ Piano Trio No. 1 in B major, followed by the Flavours Quartet with Dvořák’s “Slavonic” Quartet in E-flat major. The Fantasia Quartet presented Mozart’s String Quartet in C major, K.157, the SNYO Quartet took on Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 18 No. 3, The Practice Room Quartet performed the lively finale of Borodin’s String Quartet No. 2, and the Bencoolen Quartet closed with Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 18 No. 1.
This celebratory recital was followed by the workshop “Lower Strings – The Bedrock of the String Quartet”, led by Kirsten Docter, winner of the Primrose International Viola Competition and Associate Professor of Viola at Oberlin Conservatory of Music. While highlighting the unique contributions of the viola and cello within a quartet, Docter also returned to the fundamentals of ensemble playing. She guided participants through the essentials of tuning, blending tone, and active listening — lessons that resonated not just with lower strings, but with every member of an ensemble.
Her engaging session provided young musicians with both practical tools and fresh perspectives, underscoring that chamber music is as much about communication and awareness as it is about technical mastery.
The August Sessions formed part of the SCMF Chamber Continuum, an ongoing initiative designed to nurture Singapore’s chamber music scene beyond the annual festival. Earlier in the month, participants benefited from workshops with Jonathan Ong, 1st Violinist of the Verona Quartet, and intensive coaching from Concordia Quartet and Yang Shuxiang, Concertmaster of re:Sound.
A heartfelt thank you to all the participants of the Chamber Continuum August Sessions:
Piano Trio
Flavours Quartet
Fantasia Quartet
SNYO Quartet
The Practice Room Quartet
Bencoolen Quartet
The Chamber Continuum will continue to bring together musicians, educators, and audiences throughout the year, building a stronger foundation for chamber music in Singapore
Photos by Resound Collective / @joelcaptures